Cybele

Title

• Phrygian, Greek, and Roman Mother of the Gods and of fertility 

Description 

• Often sitting on a throne with a crown that looks like the walls of a city and lion attendants.

Duties

• Protector of cities, mysteries, taming the wilds into civilization 

Lineage

• Parents were the Phrygian sky-god (associated with Zeus in one account) and earth-mother

Stories

• Cybele was actually born as a hermaphrodite named Agdistis who was castrated by the gods and became the goddess.

Interesting Facts

• Was in love with the man Attis and asked for eternal life and youth for him

Symbols

• Lions, chariots, hawks

Crossing Fingers

As with many superstitions the origin of this one is unclear. Some say it began pre-Christianity when there was the belief of good spirits living in intersections or crosses. For this reason two people would each use one of their fingers to cross over the other one’s in order to make a wish, believing that the spirits would fulfill that wish. 

Another more popular belief is due to the “dire consequences'' that would happen to a person if they showed any sign of being a Christian. Here people had to make up ways to show their affiliation. Again two people were needed to form the cross but in this case it was more of a secret handshake to identify like minded followers.

The version we know today is that you can make a crossing sign using your own fingers for the same effect. This version is thought to have first appeared in the 14-15th centuries during battle. In the Hundred Years’ War, soldiers would ask for good luck but were unlikely to have another person to make the symbol, so instead they made it themselves.

Later the belief behind the crossed fingers were no longer strictly locked to good luck but also to ward off evil and sickness. It was often said to others ``fingers crossed” or “I’ve got my fingers crossed for you,” in order to wish good luck on that person.

The crossing of the fingers when lying is thought to have begun with the 10 Commandments. To save oneself from God’s wrath when lying you would cross your fingers in order to wish for luck in getting away with the lie you were telling. 

Ostara

History

Ostara aka the Spring Equinox is celebrated by many pagans around the dates Mar 20th - 22nd. However, it was not documented that the Celts celebrated this festival, only pagans in Germanic countries. Ostara was noteworthy for its connection with fertility. In many cultures throughout the ages it wasn’t uncommon to give a newly wed couple a pair of livestock, to celebrate their union and thus ensure their fruitfulness. This was also celebrated as the agricultural time of planting seeds for the year’s harvest ahead. 

• Saxon - The name Ostara was derived from the Saxon Goddess Eostre. Their feast day was done on the following full moon after the Equinox. Interestingly this coordinates uncannily close with the Christian celebration of Easter.

-There is a Saxon legend that tells of an injured bird being found in late winter by the Goddess Eostra. In order to save the bird she meant to change into a hare. Unfortunately she did not complete the transformation and left the bird looking like a hare but it had the ability to lay eggs. The hare would later go on to decorating t